Some viral faces become unwilling memes who reject their fame.

Evidence

The three-stage model presented above illustrates how meme personalities develop into different extents of internet celebrity: faces of memes, meme personae, and meme celebrities. At each stage, the actual identity of the person behind the image attaches and sticks to the memefied image and viral celebrity differently, and these depend on the fidelity of the meme, how well the meme resonates with the audience, and other intangible idiosyncrasies such as press interest, timing, and luck. However, not all meme personalities want to be identified with their memefied image, and such unintentional and unexpected internet celebrities can be characterized as “unwilling memes.” — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 175

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines ‘unwilling memes’ as meme personalities who become celebrity against their wishes, completing the taxonomy beyond willing participants.
• SEED: The ‘unwilling meme’ category is an article-worthy angle: comparing voluntary vs involuntary internet fame and their divergent outcomes.
• XREF: connects to: Meme personae arise when meme faces intentionally monetize their iconized image — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 167; Becoming a meme erases the person’s context and identity markers — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 164; Viral meme fame can be non-consensual, damaging, and unmanageable by the subject. — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 182 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Viral meme fame can be non-consensual, damaging, and unmanageable by the subject. #corroborates (0.95) — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 182
• Factual corrections cannot undo reputational damage once a meme spreads. #expands (0.85) — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 183